minister: Sheila Gautreaux L.U.T.

My friend, Dot, joyfully told of the card and money she had prepared for her grandson Langston’s birthday. I could tell the card was filled with love. She was so excited. When you select a gift with such care you imagine how great the loved one will feel when they open it. Give like that when you tithe to wherever you receive your spiritual instruction, support, and enlightenment, your spiritual good. Give by joy. The energy of connection with the universe, when giving from joy, goes out into the universe and the universe is inspired to return it. When giving in joy you are also giving to yourself.
If 10% is fearful for you, you can start small and graduate to 10%. Why 10? 10 is the number of perfect balance, of the balance of masculine and feminine, of resplendent love. It is the divine number, and reduces to 1—indicating our oneness with the universe, that when we are aligned with the universe we are connected and there is no difference between us and God.

When I lost half my income I stopped tithing. Then I started losing track of money; I just couldn’t find it. My paying engagements started drying up. Then I fell and broke my wrist. What was going on? Then I remembered I had quit tithing. So I immediately wrote a check. In fear I had stopped tithing, but then when I did give I gave in love. To give only because you get is not in alignment with the law of giving and receiving. In a month or 6 weeks I was clearly in a better situation.

You can tithe not only money, but your time or service. Give somewhere, somehow, to someone. Are you giving in love to your family? To you community? To your job? Our goal is to give in love across the board, giving in love to our world. Seek to live a life of giving love. The steps are listed in the attached outline.

This week look at every place you go, and give in love. Be aware of how you are giving to our world. Even how you speak is giving. Find a way to give love even if it’s just a little bit, because love changes everything.

I give you love; I give you peace; I give you joy. May you find this every day in your life and relationships.

My friend, Dot, joyfully told of the card and money she had prepared for her grandson Langston’s birthday. I could tell the card was filled with love. She was so excited. When you select a gift with such care you imagine how great the loved one will feel when they open it. Give like that when you tithe to wherever you receive your spiritual instruction, support, and enlightenment, your spiritual good. Give by joy. The energy of connection with the universe, when giving from joy, goes out into the universe and the universe is inspired to return it. When giving in joy you are also giving to yourself.

If 10% is fearful for you, you can start small and graduate to 10%. Why 10? 10 is the number of perfect balance, of the balance of masculine and feminine, of resplendent love. It is the divine number, and reduces to 1—indicating our oneness with the universe, that when we are aligned with the universe we are connected and there is no difference between us and God.

When I lost half my income I stopped tithing. Then I started losing track of money; I just couldn’t find it. My paying engagements started drying up. Then I fell and broke my wrist. What was going on? Then I remembered I had quit tithing. So I immediately wrote a check. In fear I had stopped tithing, but then when I did give I gave in love. To give only because you get is not in alignment with the law of giving and receiving. In a month or 6 weeks I was clearly in a better situation.

You can tithe not only money, but your time or service. Give somewhere, somehow, to someone. Are you giving in love to your family? To you community? To your job? Our goal is to give in love across the board, giving in love to our world. Seek to live a life of giving love. The steps are listed in the attached outline.

This week look at every place you go, and give in love. Be aware of how you are giving to our world. Even how you speak is giving. Find a way to give love even if it’s just a little bit, because love changes everything.

I give you love; I give you peace; I give you joy. May you find this every day in your life and relationships.

This year I spoke about the parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s about the long journey from the head to the heart, and the journey to forgiveness. Our heavenly father has never held anything against us. I spoke of the parable of the Sower. It’s about the words of truth we hear. Some words of truth we hear and apply in our lives, and then the old stuff no longer has power over us. The third parable was about the Weeds that grew in the crop of wheat. Negative beliefs will come up, but don’t fight them. When your truth is strong you will be able to ignore the “weeds”. These parables clear away the darkness so our light can shine.

Then we talked about Transitions, tragic changes like the loss of a spouse, a home, a job. It’s like a death. It’s Endings. You’re disengaged. You are no longer the person who has what is now lost. You’re angry and disoriented. Then, in the Void, you’re just lost. It is painful, and you take this journey alone. And you’re not out until the message from all this is received—like who am I or what am I to do? Pray, “Come Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit is the movement of God.) Finally, you get to the New Beginning—you see a glimmer of light, of hope. You recognize you’re in transition. Then all resources of God show up for you. It’s like the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, still thinking as slaves. But when you’re in bondage to something you still have the ability to say “Let my people go.”

Then a few weeks ago I spoke of the ADVENTture beginning. During Advent millions of people are excitedly awaiting an arrival. The “soil” is fertile for planting whatever we want to come into our lives. Reflect on the previous year without judgment. What worked, what didn’t. Ask, how did or didn’t I show up? As God? Or not? Then paint the picture of how you want the new year to look. List goals for getting there. Then add “by when” dates, which spur you into action. If you miss a date, simply set another. Be good to yourself. Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Set smaller goals which together make a big one. Then fully imagine this new life—all the way into each of your 150 trillion cells. They will be energized and draw these things to you. Expect it to happen. I expect it to happen! I expect it to happen! I expect it to happen! The universe will bring it! Go forward enthusiastically! Pray Yes! Go ahead, feel the doubt and fear but affirm your good. Clear away those things which no longer serve. That which we are attached to keeps our attention and there is no room for the new. Say, I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. Go get ’em!

This year I spoke about the parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s about the long journey from the head to the heart, and the journey to forgiveness. Our heavenly father has never held anything against us. I spoke of the parable of the Sower. It’s about the words of truth we hear. Some words of truth we hear and apply in our lives, and then the old stuff no longer has power over us. The third parable was about the Weeds that grew in the crop of wheat. Negative beliefs will come up, but don’t fight them. When your truth is strong you will be able to ignore the “weeds”. These parables clear away the darkness so our light can shine.

Then we talked about Transitions, tragic changes like the loss of a spouse, a home, a job. It’s like a death. It’s Endings. You’re disengaged. You are no longer the person who has what is now lost. You’re angry and disoriented. Then, in the Void, you’re just lost. It is painful, and you take this journey alone. And you’re not out until the message from all this is received—like who am I or what am I to do? Pray, “Come Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit is the movement of God.) Finally, you get to the New Beginning—you see a glimmer of light, of hope. You recognize you’re in transition. Then all resources of God show up for you. It’s like the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, still thinking as slaves. But when you’re in bondage to something you still have the ability to say “Let my people go.”

Then a few weeks ago I spoke of the ADVENTture beginning. During Advent millions of people are excitedly awaiting an arrival. The “soil” is fertile for planting whatever we want to come into our lives. Reflect on the previous year without judgment. What worked, what didn’t. Ask, how did or didn’t I show up? As God? Or not? Then paint the picture of how you want the new year to look. List goals for getting there. Then add “by when” dates, which spur you into action. If you miss a date, simply set another. Be good to yourself. Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Set smaller goals which together make a big one. Then fully imagine this new life—all the way into each of your 150 trillion cells. They will be energized and draw these things to you. Expect it to happen. I expect it to happen! I expect it to happen! I expect it to happen! The universe will bring it! Go forward enthusiastically! Pray Yes! Go ahead, feel the doubt and fear but affirm your good. Clear away those things which no longer serve. That which we are attached to keeps our attention and there is no room for the new. Say, I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. I move forward enthusiastically toward unlimited possibilities. Go get ’em!

Advent is the expectation, the excitement around an arrival. This Advent season, energy around the world is focused on the coming, the rebirth, of the Christ. Why not put into this energy the seeds of that which you want to arrive in your life? Use all this energy as support. Holy Spirit guides us by universal laws like the Law of Mind Action (thoughts in mind produce after their kind) or the Law of Compensation (whatever you give out will come back to you). The universal laws are absolute, no shakey, not some-timey. They can’t be coerced. They simply act. When we are aligned with them, they support us, we have the force working for us. When we go against them we get “the full force of the law”.

I was coaching a lady who wanted to get away from her boss and start a new job when I got from Spirit that she was not supposed to have a job. As we worked with the universal laws, her situation at work began to shift. The company opened a position for a consultant to travel to their sites around the country (away from her boss). She got it. Not much later she was offered part ownership in a thriving company in Sacramento. Now she no longer has a “job”, she has a business.

In “expectation” of what you wish to “arrive” in your life, begin by asking yourself how you could have played at a higher level with the things that showed up this year. Then focus on living in alignment with what you want to bring into your life, like perfect health. Then list what things you can do to support that; list what goals will lead to those things. Now put a by-when date on your calendar or tell Siri. Putting a by-when date on a goal spurs you to action. Then be sure to visualize what your life will look like when you have these things. Really feel it. It is a scientific fact that what we are most excited about we draw to us. What you are giving out there must come back!

Now don’t “hope” or “wish”—expect. You are an off-shoot of the Creator. Just like you inherited characteristics from you parents, you inherited the ability to create from your Creator. Only when you doubt this do you lose your excitement, your expectation. Affirm, I expect the very best in my life and I am excited! I expect the very best in my life and I am excited! I expect the very best in my life and I am excited! And I am excited for you!

This month, November, offers us a prime opportunity. For Thanksgiving Day, families come together to feast—and deal with their issues. But as they come together, they are of one heart, being grateful and giving thanks. The energy of gratitude is high this time of year. But what about the rest of the year? We get caught up in our activities and tend to forget the core appreciation we do have.

Science now shows us the power of the heart when it’s in gratitude, which goes forth from our hearts to draw to us more of what we appreciate. So let’s see what we might develop in this time when millions share this energy.

Everything Jesus did was a teaching point. He never made us feel he was more than us. That came from others later. But even when he raised up Lazarus he first gave thanks. He never did ask God for anything! He always claimed it or gave thanks for it. And science shows us that what we appreciate appreciates.

But there are things in our lives that don’t appear to be good. What if we use our elder brother’s method? What if, when our challenges arise, we have gratefulness for them? I haven’t asked for anything in ten years! But I have clothes and food and I came here to be assistant minister. Challenges happen for us (not to us). If we find the blessing in the challenge, the solution is there. What if we can hit a home run with the challenge? What if we prove God in the laboratory of our lives?

When you make your list, list everything, including the not-so-good stuff. All you need to do is be willing to be willing. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. Let’s see what God can do! Let’s check it out! Put God to the test: “Show me. I want to see.” Affirm, I Am Grateful for Everything! I Am Grateful for Everything! I Am Grateful for Everything! Yes, that’s what I’m talking about! Check it out!

This month, November, offers us a prime opportunity. For Thanksgiving Day, families come together to feast—and deal with their issues. But as they come together, they are of one heart, being grateful and giving thanks. The energy of gratitude is high this time of year. But what about the rest of the year? We get caught up in our activities and tend to forget the core appreciation we do have.

Science now shows us the power of the heart when it’s in gratitude, which goes forth from our hearts to draw to us more of what we appreciate. So let’s see what we might develop in this time when millions share this energy.

Everything Jesus did was a teaching point. He never made us feel he was more than us. That came from others later. But even when he raised up Lazarus he first gave thanks. He never did ask God for anything! He always claimed it or gave thanks for it. And science shows us that what we appreciate appreciates.

But there are things in our lives that don’t appear to be good. What if we use our elder brother’s method? What if, when our challenges arise, we have gratefulness for them? I haven’t asked for anything in ten years! But I have clothes and food and I came here to be assistant minister. Challenges happen for us (not to us). If we find the blessing in the challenge, the solution is there. What if we can hit a home run with the challenge? What if we prove God in the laboratory of our lives?

When you make your list, list everything, including the not-so-good stuff. All you need to do is be willing to be willing. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. Let’s see what God can do! Let’s check it out! Put God to the test: “Show me. I want to see.” Affirm, I Am Grateful for Everything! I Am Grateful for Everything! I Am Grateful for Everything! Yes, that’s what I’m talking about! Check it out!

Look at what’s going on—ebola and terrorism in our own country, even changes in our own congregation. The best book I’ve read on change is Robert Brumet’s Finding Yourself in Transition. He says that change is similar to rights of passage. It is inevitable and extremely painful. But the suffering is optional. When we have a drastic, unexpected change in our lives it is a kind of death. Something we had depended on, loved, and felt we needed is ripped away. Our impulse is to grieve it. But we can embrace it.

Like the Israelite’s journey out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the Promised Land, there are stages to our transitions as identified by Brumet. First is Endings. You’ve lost your feeling of safety, or your health. You retire or become an “empty nester”. There is disengagement, followed by disidentification—you are no longer a husband or wife, or part of a unit, or one of the healthy. You move into disenchantment, where you have lost your faith in love, or in your employability, and so on, even your faith in God. You feel lost, hopeless, discouraged. You don’t know who you are anymore. You are disoriented. But when you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hold on!

The second stage of transition is the Void. As the Israelites did, you are wondering in the wilderness. It doesn’t feel very good. Your only connection is to the God of your understanding. But know you are being guided. It is painful but it also has purpose. It is said that this is the point at which suicides occur. Don’t give up. The light is just around the corner. You are like a seed in the soil that has lost it’s covering, but now you can send down roots and grow into a strong new plant ready to bloom and bear fruit. You are being reborn into a more perfect self. You can appreciate the beautiful transition moving through you. You have the tools and ability to move forward into the unknown without giving up. In my Void, I was literally on the carpet with the pain, but then I saw clearly what it was for. I saw a new vision, a new way of being, the third stage of transition. It brought me to Unity.

Each time we set out on a journey that is pulling us away from what we feel we can’t live without, there is this divine spark within that will lead us through. It empowers us. Understand the power of transition. This is an inside job. You will know yourself more deeply than before. Keep making the effort to let go, to open to what Spirit has for you. Trust. Each transition lifts you to a higher level.

There is so much change in our lives right now. Expect the good, the Promised Land. What shows up isn’t what you prayed for, but what you expect. Trust. Expect. “…and goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.”